* Defining "vocabulary" is tricky: Do we mean words in dictionaries, words actually used in everyday speech, or specialized technical terms?
* Counting words is complex: There are lots of synonyms, variations, and compound words to consider.
* Languages are constantly evolving: New words are being added all the time.
However, here are some factors to consider:
* German has a reputation for a large vocabulary: This is often attributed to its complex compounding system, where words can be built by combining multiple elements. This allows for a high number of potential words.
* English borrows words from many languages: English has been influenced by countless languages, including French, Latin, Greek, and many more. This contributes to a vast vocabulary.
* Both languages have large dictionaries: Major dictionaries for both languages have hundreds of thousands of entries.
In conclusion: While German's compounding system might make it seem like it has a larger potential vocabulary, English likely has a larger *active* vocabulary due to its extensive borrowing and use of words from other languages. Ultimately, it's difficult to say definitively which language has a larger vocabulary, as both are incredibly rich and complex.